Foreign Affairs Council and General Affairs Council

David Lidington Excerpts

Thursday 10th November 2011 Written Statements

[The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington)]

The Foreign Affairs Council (in both foreign affairs and development formats) and General Affairs Council will meet in Brussels on 14-15 November. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will attend the Foreign Affairs Council. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for International Development will attend the development Foreign Affairs Council.

Foreign Affairs Council (FAC)

EU-Russia

The pre-FAC dinner on 13 November will discuss EU-Russia, although we also expect this to cover Georgia, Ukraine and Belarus. This will be a good opportunity to explore with partners medium-term prospects for the EU-Russia relationship. We will use the opportunity to set out what we want to achieve at the EU-Russia summit on 15 December: progress on the Transnistria conflict, reduction of trade barriers and progress on a new EU-Russia agreement.

Afghanistan

We are working to secure a strong and enduring EU commitment to Afghanistan which will reassure the Afghans that 2014 will not mark the end of international support. Ahead of the 5 December Bonn conference on Afghanistan, we want the FAC to agree a negotiating mandate for a long-term EU-Afghanistan partnership; commit to extend the EU policing mission (EUPOL) mandate in Afghanistan to the end of 2014; and make a political commitment to involvement in justice and development reform after 2014. Pakistan has a key role to play in this process, and we will continue to make the case for increased EU engagement.

Southern Neighbourhood (Tunisia/Egypt/Syria/Libya/Yemen)

We will continue to encourage partners to look at how we might incentivise the EU’s offer to its southern neighbours, especially Egypt and Tunisia, while continuing to ensure that it is clearly linked to reform benchmarks. This will be an opportunity for Ministers to respond to the recent elections in Tunisia. We expect the discussion to focus on how to maintain momentum to deliver the outcomes of the EU-Tunisia taskforce in September and plans for further support to Tunisia. On Egypt, the EU needs to assess further how its package of economic and trade incentives can support reform.

On Syria, we are urging the EU to consider increasing the pressure on the Syria regime, including through new sanctions, unless it immediately takes action to end the violence against protestors as outlined in the Arab League’s initiative of 2 November.

On Libya, Ministers will have an opportunity to welcome liberation and to reinforce EU support for the newly appointed Prime Minister of the future transitional Government. Discussion is likely to focus on progress on Government formation and an update on stabilisation issues. We want the Council to reiterate its strong message of support to the Libyan authorities.

Baroness Ashton is likely to raise briefly the continuing political impasse in Yemen and the damage this is causing to an already fragile economic, humanitarian and security environment. We expect more detailed discussion on Yemen at the 1 December FAC.

The Horn of Africa

We expect Baroness Ashton to seek agreement on the adoption of the strategic framework for the horn of Africa—which has been submitted under an explanatory memorandum to both Houses. The strategic framework focuses on regional and cross-cutting issues, including development, piracy, counter-terrorism and trade. We are broadly supportive of this approach as it will enable the EU to make its engagement in the horn of Africa more effective through consistent, coherent and complementary use of its instruments and by focusing more clearly on the underlying challenges of the region.

Baroness Ashton is also expected to seek agreement to a set of Council conclusions on Somalia. The conclusions are expected to reconfirm the EU and member states’ commitment to working with Somali stakeholders and international partners on a broad spectrum of issues including alleviating the humanitarian crisis, making progress towards a lasting political solution to the conflict, ensuring a credible and inclusive process towards a new constitution and tackling terrorist and pirate security threats that emanate from Somalia.

Serbia/Kosovo

Baroness Ashton is expected to update Ministers on the EU-facilitated dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. We expect EU member states to give Baroness Ashton strong support for her efforts on the dialogue as a way of building practical co-operation between Kosovo and Serbia and of helping both countries make progress towards the EU in a more stable fashion.

Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)

We will continue to encourage the development of European civilian and military capabilities, better EU-NATO relations and a more joined-up approach to crisis management. There is likely to be informal discussion on the EU’s military planning structures on which we have made, and will continue to make, our opposition to new institutions very clear. We expect formal conclusions to be agreed at the 1 December FAC.

EU-US Summit

We expect Ministers to be briefed on the preparations for the forthcoming EU-US summit taking place in Washington on 28 November. The summit is likely to focus on the pressing issues on the international agenda, including the global economy and the Arab spring.

Foreign Affairs Council for Development Ministers

Future of EU Development Policy

Ministers will discuss the recent European Commission’s (EC) communication on “Increasing the Impact of EU Development Policy: An Agenda for Change”. The communication sets out a more strategic EU approach to reducing poverty, including through a more targeted allocation of funding. Council conclusions for this communication are set to be adopted at the next Development FAC in 2012.

EU Budget Support

This item will focus on the EC communication on “The Future Approach to EU Budget Support to Third Countries”. The communication aims to improve the Commission’s budget support mechanisms and proposes an updated approach to the provision of various types of budget support. Council conclusions for this communication are also set to be adopted at the next Development FAC in 2012.

The EU Common Position for the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness

(HLF-4, Busan, 29 November to 1 December 2011)

Ministers will adopt a common EU position for the fourth high-level forum on aid effectiveness, taking place in Busan from 29 November to 1 December 2011. The UK Government’s priorities, transparency and fragility, are well reflected in the draft conclusions. We will support proposals for an ambitious outcome in Busan, one that is endorsed by all including the broader development actors.

Horn of Africa

This discussion will be held over dinner, continuing the discussion held by Foreign Ministers during the FAC. This is an opportunity to encourage member states and the EC to provide support for the horn of Africa through 2012 for humanitarian and recovery-related requirements. We will also encourage the EC to ensure resilience is built into humanitarian efforts and communities are developed to withstand humanitarian shocks.

General Affairs Council (GAC)

October and December European Councils

The European Council of 23 October focused on economic policy, the G20, climate change and foreign policy. Although overshadowed by the ongoing eurozone crisis, the focus on economic growth was welcome. The statements on Libya and the Arab spring, although not on the original agenda, were also welcome.

The conclusions of the October European Council meeting can be found at:

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/125496.pdf.

This was quickly followed by an informal meeting of the members of the European Council on 26 October to prepare the Euro summit.

The statement from the informal meeting can be found at:

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/125621.pdf.

The Euro summit statement can be found at:

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/125644.pdf.

The General Affairs Council will also discuss preparation for the December European Council. The agenda includes the ongoing economic issues for the EU, energy policy and enlargement.

Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF)

The European Commission has released the proposal for a Council regulation laying down the MFF for the period 2014-2020 on 29 June 2011. (See link below.)

http://ec.europa.eu/budget/library/biblio/documents/fin_fwk1420/proposal_council_regulation_COM-398_en.pdf

The UK’s position on the MFF is that budgetary constraint and ensuring that the EU budget contributes to domestic fiscal consolidation are the highest priorities.

The Prime Minister has stated, jointly with France and Germany, that the maximum acceptable expenditure increase for the next MFF would be a real freeze in payments. This must be year on year from the actual level of payments in 2013.

At a time of ongoing economic fragility in Europe and tight constraints on domestic public spending, the Commission’s proposal for the MFF is unrealistic. It is too large; it is not the restrained budget the Commission claims; and it is incompatible with the tough decisions being taken in countries across Europe.

Baltic Sea Strategy

The General Affairs and External Relations Council and European Council endorsed the implementation of the Baltic sea strategy in October 2009. The broad aim of the strategy is to address common challenges in the region. The GAC is expected to agree conclusions welcoming a progress report on the strategy.